Far too often, I find my self competing with my fellow brothers and sisters in the program. This is partly ingrained in me because ever since I was a young child I was exposed to very highly competitive sports and competition.
However in my 20 years of experience I have slowly learned that it is not a race. We are all equal. There is no prize for having the most sobriety in the room.
* Am I in my group a healing, mending, integrating person, or am I divisive? What about gossip and taking other members’ inventories?
* Am I a peacemaker? Or do I, with pious preludes such as “just for the sake of discussion,” plunge into argument?
* Am I gentle with those who rub me the wrong way, or am I abrasive?
* Do I make competitive AA remarks, such as comparing one group with another or contrasting AA in one place with AA in another?